What to do when having no appetite?

December 6, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, eating small, frequent meals is a key strategy for those experiencing a reduced desire to eat. For anyone concerned about their nutritional intake, knowing what to do when having no appetite is crucial for maintaining strength and overall health.

Quick Summary

Address poor appetite with strategies like eating small, frequent meals, prioritizing nutrient-dense foods, and staying hydrated with nourishing liquids. Gentle exercise can help stimulate hunger, but if loss of appetite persists, it is important to consult a healthcare professional. Incorporating flavorful and visually appealing foods can also make eating more enjoyable.

Key Points

Eat Small, Frequent Meals: Instead of overwhelming yourself with three large meals, consume smaller, more manageable portions every few hours to ease digestion and maintain energy.
Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Focus on high-calorie and high-protein foods like nuts, cheese, and fortified liquids to maximize nutritional intake when eating less.
Opt for Liquid Meals: If solid food is unappealing, switch to nutrient-packed smoothies, soups, or milkshakes to get essential calories and vitamins.
Create a Positive Eating Environment: Make mealtimes more pleasant by eating with friends or adding enjoyable elements like calming music or fresh air.
Engage in Gentle Exercise: Light physical activity, such as a short walk, can help stimulate your appetite naturally.
Hydrate Between Meals: Separate your fluid intake from meal times to avoid feeling full too quickly. Sip on water or other liquids throughout the day instead.
Consult a Professional: For persistent loss of appetite, especially with weight loss, seek medical advice to rule out underlying health issues.

Understand the Root Cause of Your Poor Appetite

Before implementing any strategies, it can be helpful to consider the underlying reason for your lack of hunger. Causes can range from temporary issues like a stomach virus or stress, to more serious chronic conditions or side effects from medication. For many, simple emotional responses or short-term infections are the cause and can be managed at home. However, a persistent lack of desire to eat, especially when paired with unintentional weight loss, should always be discussed with a doctor.

Prioritize Small, Frequent Meals

Forcing yourself to eat three large meals can be overwhelming and counterproductive when you have no appetite. Instead, shift your focus to eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day, such as every 2-3 hours. This approach is easier on your digestive system and can help you maintain your energy levels without feeling uncomfortably full.

Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods

When you're eating less, every bite counts. Focus on foods that are high in protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals to maximize your nutritional intake. Instead of low-fat or low-sugar options, choose the full-fat versions of dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Examples of nutrient-dense options:

High-protein snacks: Nuts, cheese and crackers, hard-boiled eggs.
Energy-dense foods: Avocado toast, smoothies with added nut butter, rice pudding, or custard.
Fortified foods: Add milk powder to soups, cereals, and puddings for an extra protein boost.

Consider Liquid Meals

Sometimes, the thought of solid food is unappealing. In these cases, liquid meals can be a lifesaver, providing essential calories and nutrients in an easy-to-consume form. Smoothies are an excellent option, as you can pack them with fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and protein powder. Milkshakes, soups, and milk-based drinks are also great choices.

Comparison of Solid vs. Liquid Meals


Feature	Solid Meals	Liquid Meals
Satiety	Can feel overwhelming and fill you up quickly, further suppressing appetite.	Lighter and easier to consume, especially when feeling ill.
Nutrient Density	High-calorie foods can be difficult to finish in large portions.	Easy to fortify with extra protein powder, seeds, or nut butter for a nutrient boost.
Preparation Effort	Can require significant time and energy to prepare full meals.	Often quicker to prepare, and can be consumed on the go.
Digestibility	Can be harder to digest, especially for a sensitive stomach.	Typically easier to digest and gentler on the system.

Make Mealtime an Experience

How and where you eat can significantly influence your desire to consume food. Eating in a pleasant environment or with others can make the experience more enjoyable and less of a chore.

Dine with friends or family: Social eating can be a positive distraction from your lack of hunger.
Create a pleasant setting: Play calming music, set the table nicely, or eat outside to improve your mood.
Make it interesting: Experiment with different flavors, textures, and colors in your food. Adding herbs and spices can also increase its appeal.

Engage in Gentle Physical Activity

Light-to-moderate exercise can be a natural appetite stimulant. A short walk around the block or some gentle stretches can help increase your body's energy needs and, in turn, your desire to eat. Just be sure to check with a doctor if you have a serious illness.

Focus on Hydration

While liquids can fill you up, staying hydrated is essential, especially when sick or eating less. The key is to separate your fluid intake from your meals. Drink water or other hydrating liquids between, rather than with, your small meals and snacks.

Conclusion

Experiencing a lack of appetite can be a frustrating and concerning issue, but with the right strategies, you can manage your nutritional intake effectively. By focusing on small, frequent, and nutrient-dense meals—both solid and liquid—and making the eating process more enjoyable, you can maintain your health. However, if your symptoms are persistent or accompanied by unintentional weight loss, consulting a healthcare professional is the most important step to ensure any underlying issues are addressed. Don't hesitate to seek medical advice for ongoing concerns.

Visit Healthdirect for a service finder to locate a dietitian near you

Frequently Asked Questions

When you have no appetite, focus on nutrient-dense foods that pack a lot of energy and protein into a small serving. Good options include smoothies with protein powder, milkshakes, full-fat dairy products, nuts, cheese, and soups.

To naturally increase your appetite, try engaging in gentle physical activity, eating small but frequent meals, making food visually appealing, and consuming meals with friends or family.

Yes, it is common to experience a temporary loss of appetite due to stress or anxiety. The body's physical response to acute stress can suppress hunger. Focusing on small, frequent meals and hydration can help until your stress levels decrease.

You should see a doctor if your loss of appetite lasts longer than one week, is accompanied by unintentional weight loss, or is caused by other symptoms like nausea, weakness, or fatigue. These could be signs of an underlying medical condition.

Yes, gentle physical activity can help stimulate your appetite. A short, daily walk or other light exercise can increase your body's energy needs and signal your brain to feel hunger.

When you have no appetite, opt for nourishing drinks that provide calories and nutrients, such as smoothies, milkshakes, nutritional supplements (like Ensure), or creamy soups. Drink these between meals to avoid filling up on liquids.

Liquid meals are a good temporary solution for maintaining nutrition when you have a poor appetite. However, they should not be a long-term substitute for a balanced diet of solid foods without consulting a healthcare professional or dietitian.